Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 191 - Chapitre 200

The room reeked of leather, expensive cologne, and aged bourbon. The chandelier above them flickered faintly, casting glints across the marble walls and polished walnut tables of the private lounge tucked behind the Fashion Café & Bakery. Lucian Voss Drayden sat across from Dallas, his jaw locked tight, fists clenched on either side of the untouched tumbler of scotch in front of him. Dal leaned back in his seat, swirling his drink lazily. “You seem hesitant, nephew,” he drawled. “You’re not usually this slow when blood is involved.” Lucian’s voice was low, dangerous. “Because this isn’t just blood. This is Raina.” Dal snorted. “Oh, now you want to play husband?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “You married that girl for a reason, Lucian. You said it yourself — Caleb needs to be broken. We’ve tried every damn route to get him to confess about your sister. He still walks like a saint.” Lucian slammed his palm against the table, making the glasses rattle. “She d

The morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, casting a pale glow across the room where Raina stirred awake. The edges of her vision blurred as she blinked against the harsh intrusion of the day. She sat up slowly, careful not to wake the silence with loud movements, but her bare feet met the cold floor with a subtle shiver. Today felt heavy—like the weight of all the days before, stacked on her chest, pressing harder than she expected. She moved almost mechanically toward the kitchen, craving the one thing that still felt familiar: the bitter warmth of coffee. The kitchen smelled faintly of toast and something sweet from the Voss Fashion Café and Bakery’s deliveries the day before, but it was empty except for one of the maids. The woman looked up, startled for a moment, before bowing with practiced politeness. “Good morning, Madam Raina,” she said softly, her voice low and cautious. “Sir Lucian has gone to the office. He asked me to tell you to meet him there when

Raina’s heart thundered inside her chest, beating louder than the knocks echoing off Caleb’s window. Lucian didn’t stop. He just stood there — tall, still, his knuckles grazing the glass in that calm, dangerous rhythm. Knock… knock… knock. Like a man who had all the time in the world — but not a shred of patience left in his soul. Raina sat frozen in the passenger seat, her palms pressed flat against her thighs, forcing herself to breathe evenly. She couldn’t. Not when the air felt like it was laced with gunpowder. What do I do? What do I do? This wasn’t supposed to happen. She never should’ve agreed to let Caleb drag her here. And now Lucian was here — calm, composed, and terrifyingly quiet. Quiet with Lucian was never good. Raina’s fingers twitched. Then, before she could think, she yanked the door handle and slipped out of the car. Her heels crunched against the gravel as she rounded the front of the vehicle, her voice soft but urgent. “Lucian…” she called. But he did

The boardroom on the twenty-sixth floor of Drayden Holdings Headquarters was a testament to modern elegance. A long, sleek glass table stretched across the room, surrounded by polished leather chairs. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the city skyline, where sunlight spilled across the marble floor like liquid gold. At the head of the table sat Lucian Voss Drayden, CEO of Drayden Holdings, exuding an aura of composed authority. Dressed in a tailored black suit that emphasized his tall, broad frame, he was the epitome of control and precision. His sharp jaw was clean-shaven, his expression unreadable, and his posture firm — a man used to being obeyed, not questioned. To his left sat Raina Voss Drayden. Her posture was straight, her hands folded neatly over a sleek leather notepad, and her deep brown eyes scanned each speaker with quiet intelligence. Dressed in a soft rose blouse and pencil skirt, her elegance didn’t clamor for attention — it commanded it. I

The coffee shop’s air was heavy with the scent of roasted beans and warm pastries. The morning sunlight filtered through the windows, bathing the interior in a soft golden hue. It was the kind of place Raina used to dream about—quiet, cozy, tucked into a corner of Dal that always felt like a secret. The irony wasn’t lost on her that she was sitting here now, not as the owner of a café and bakery, but as someone who had sold hers to pay off a debt she never asked for. Ella stirred her vanilla latte absentmindedly, eyes trained on Raina, who sat across from her in a dark grey turtleneck and jeans, looking both exhausted and burdened. Her fingers circled the rim of her cup as if trying to gather the courage to speak. Ella knew her too well. She didn’t push. “I don’t even know where to begin,” Raina said, her voice low, almost trembling. “Start wherever you can, Raina,” Ella replied softly. “I’ve got all the time in the world.” Raina inhaled sharply, then released it in a shaky ex